Rail bond



Oct. 7, 1941 J SABQL 2,258,101

RAIL BOND Filed July 11, 1940 few/557' J 54504 of the objects this back of the head 2,

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v RAIL BOND Ernest J. Sabol, Edgewood, Pa. Application July '11 1940, Serial N0. 344,968

2 Claims. (Cl.287-20.3)

This invention relates to rail bonds of the that are adapted for instalthe rails to be bonded, one being to provide a bond of this type having terminals provided with studs that are solid throughout including their junctions with the terminal heads and which can be installed with substantially the same ease as terminals having the less sturdy hollow studs.

Specific examples of the invention are illusstud terminal type lation to the heads of trated by the accompanying drawing, in which:;

, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a bond embodying the features of the invention;

Figure] is a tool adapted for use-in the installation of this bond;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating a second form of bond;

Figure 4 is a tool adapted for use of this second form of bond; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 3 but showing a third form of bond.

More specifically, the bond shown by Figure 1 comprises a conductor strand I having its ends butt welded to steel terminals each provided with a head 2, a stud 3 and a depression 4 opening from the front of the head 2 and which has a bottom spaced from the back to this head to provide a supply of metal between this bottom and back.

Installation of this bond is eifected by the tool shown by Figure 2, the working end 5 of this tool being shaped to fit the depression 4 and functioning, when the head of the tool is hammered, to displace some of the supply of steel between the bottom of the depression 4 and back of the terminal head 2, beyond this back. Since the stud 3 solidly and integrally connects with it receives this displaced volume is increased. In Figure 1 the left-hand terminal is ready for this action while the action has already occurred in the case of the right-hand terminal.

It is to be understood that the steel used in the construction of the terminal head is malleable whereby it can flow into the stud. A sufmetal and its ficient supply of metal is provided between the.

bottom of the depression 4 and the back of the head 2 so that the supply is never exhausted when oversized rail holes are encountered. The left-hand terminal in Figure 1 shows the appearance of the described terminal prior to installation, while the'right-hand terminal shows its appearance after installation.

The depression 4 is shown as having the same diameter as the diameter of the stud 3. and as being provided with a hemispherical bottom. The flow of the supply of metal from the head into the stud is longitudinal respecting the stud until it encounters considerable resistance by reason of confinement of the outer walls of this stud by the side of the rail hole, whereupon the fiow moves radially so as to radially enlarge the stud.

During the installation of this terminal by means of the tool shown by Figure 2, the depression 4 in the terminal head 2 may be said to function in the manner of a cylinder in which the end 5 of the tool works as a piston plastically extruding metal, from the head of the terminal into the stud 3. To further this effect, both the sides of the depression 4 and of the tool 5 are made cylindrical, the working face of the end 5 ofthe tool fitting the bottom of the depression a The terminal shown by Figure 3 has-a depression, indicated at 6, the side of this depression being cylindrical. The tool shown by Figure 4 has a working end 'I provided with a cylindrical side fitting the cylindrical side of the depression a removable tool may be used in 6, the end of this tool tapering to a flat surface. When this tool is used, its end engages the bottom of the depression 6 and starts a downward flow of metal from the supply between the bottom of this depression and the back of the terminal head, this supply going into the stud integrally connecting with the head. In this Figure 3 the left-hand terminal is shown before installation and the right-hand after installation.

In Figure 5 the terminal head is provided with a depression 8 having a cylindrical side and a convex bottom. When this bottom is rendered fiat by means of a suitable tool, it forces a supply of metal beyond the back of the terminal head and into the stud. A suitable tool is shown at 8, the tool being, in this instance, permanently retained in the depression 8. This may be done in the case of the other two forms of the bond, or

the present instance.

It is to be understood that in all cases the stud 3 extends fromthe terminal head 2 in alignment with the depression formed in this head. Furthermore, the depression is preferably made of the same diameter as the stud 3 although this may not be desirable in every instance. In all instances, the supply of metal displaced from the terminal is shown attending the plastic flow 01 metals. That is to say, the metal flows longitudinally until it encounters resistance. It should be further noted that in no instance is it necessary for the tool to pass completely through the terminal head oi the working face of the tool shown by Figure 4. With thi shape, during theuse oi the tool, the metal located centrally or the terminal is placed in motion first before other metal is materially disturbed. metal into the stud The flowing of this central is generally suflicient to fix the latter in place and the restriction of the disturbed metal to this central area provides a terminal head oi maximum strength at the Juneture of the head and stud. This efl'ect is inherent in the terminal construction of Figure 3.

I claim:

l. A rail bond terminal including the combination of a malleable metal head having a depression opening from its front and which has a bottom spaced fromthe back of said head to provide a supply 01 malleable metal between said bottom and said back, a tool workingin said depression to displace a portion of saidsupply beyond said back and a solid malleable metal stud integrally extending from said back in alignment with said bottom to internally receive said displaced portion and be enlarged thereby, said stud being solid throughout after its enlargement by internally receiving .said portion, and said depression having the same diameter as .that of said stud and being formed with a convex bottom, the bottom of said tool being formed to initially contact the top of said convex bottom and to gradually flatten the same.

2. A rail bond terminal including the combination of a malleable metal head having a depression opening from its front and which has a bottom spaced from the back of said head to provide a supply of malleable metal between said bottom and said back, a tool working in said depression to displace a portion of said supply beyond said back and a solid malleable metal stud integrally extending from said back in alignment with said bottom to internally receive said displaced portion and be enlarged thereby. said stud being solid throughout after its enlargement by internally receiving said portion and the working face 01' said tool and the bottom of" said depression beingrespectively contoured to provide for initial displacement of a central portion only of ERNEST J. SABOL.

said supply into said stud. 

